Many kinds of engines exist that can be used to produce work. Internal combustion engines are relatively small and lightweight for the amount of power they can produce and are commonly used in applications where weight and space are limited, such as in an automobile. External heat engines are capable of achieving a higher level of efficiency than internal combustion engines, however external heat engines are large and heavy. Electric engines are often used in situations where pollution and engine noise are of concern.
Several problems exist with electric engines. One problem is that is that the power to weight ratio of electrochemical batteries is not as high as petroleum based fuels. Therefore, electric engines used in automobiles must be more efficient than internal combustion engines to compensate for the lower power density of the fuel. Thus it is desirable to have a highly efficient electric engine.
Another problem is that engines are often complex machines. Building and repairing complex machines requires more training and time than for simple machines. Thus it is desirable to have a clean engine that is simple in design.
Another problem is that engines wear out with time and need regular internal servicing. Therefore, it is desirable to have a clean engine that includes components that are easily repaired and replaced.
Another problem with rotary engines is that turbulent airflow can occur within the engine. Turbulent airflow can create drag within the engine and reduce the total efficiency of the engine. Thus, it is desirable to have an engine that contains features designed to reduce turbulent airflow.
Another problem with engines is that the timing of the application of force to drive the engine can be complex. This increased complexity may increase the likelihood of mechanical failure. Thus, it is desirable to have a simple mechanism for timing the application of force to the engine.
There have been many attempts to solve some of these problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 788,291 titled “Dynamo or Motor” issued to Titzel discloses a “dynamo or motor, comprising a revolvable cylindrical armature provided with magnets and with sector-shaped contacts, each contact being connected with a magnet, consecutive contacts being connected with magnets not consecutive but arranged in a definite order, normally stationary field magnets disposed radially from said armature and spaced apart, brushes for supplying the currents to said sector shaped contacts, and a means controllable at will for shifting the position of said armature-magnets, for the purpose of reversing the direction of rotation of the armature.”
U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,807 titled “Electromagnetic Motor” issued to Clover discloses “an electromagnetic motor including a rotor having a plurality of permanent magnets on its periphery and a stator closely encompassing the rotor and having a plurality of intervening permanent magnets and electromagnets positioned for interaction with the rotor magnets, the electromagnets being cyclically energized to exert forces on the rotor to effect advance thereof in a predetermined direction.”
U.S. Pat. No. 5,428,282 titled “Release-type permanent magnet motor” issued to Johnson discloses “an electric motor that includes a rotor with permanent magnets and a stator with electromagnets, of the ‘release’ type wherein current to a ‘last’ electromagnet that a permanent magnet is moving away from, receives only enough current to ‘release’ the permanent magnet from the electromagnet core, with the permanent magnet attracted to the core of the ‘next’ electromagnet whose coil does not carry current. The amount of current to the ‘last’ electromagnet varies with the angular distance of the permanent magnet moving away from the ‘last’ electromagnet. The electromagnets and permanent magnets can be in a ratio of 3 to 2. The percent of total electromagnets which are energized during each complete rotation of the rotor can be reduced to save electricity when only a small output torque is required.”
U.S. Pat. No. 6,392,370 titled “Device and method of a back EMF permanent electromagnetic motor generator” issued to Bedini discloses “a back EMF [Electromagnetic Force] permanent electromagnetic motor generator and method using a regauging process for capturing available electromagnetic energy in the system. The device is comprised of a rotor with magnets of the same polarity; a timing wheel in apposition to a magnetic Hall Effect pickup switch semiconductor; and a stator comprised of two bars connected by a permanent magnet with magnetized pole pieces at one end of each bar. There are input and output coils created by wrapping each bar with a conducting material such as copper wire. Energy from the output coils is transferred to a recovery rectifier or diode. The magnets of the rotor, which is located on a shaft along with the timing wheel, are in apposition to the magnetized pole pieces of the two bars. The invention works through a process of regauging, that is, the flux fields created by the coils is collapsed because of a reversal of the magnetic field in the magnetized pole pieces thus allowing the capture of available back EMP [Electromagnetic Pulse] energy. Additional available energy may be captured and used to re-energize the battery, and/or sent in another direction to be used as work. As an alternative, the available back EMF energy may be dissipated into the system.”
U.S. Pat. No. 2,399,575 titled “Electromagnetic Switch” issued to Schliecher discloses an “electromagnet structure . . . [with] quickly detachable electromagnet parts; for slidably mounting the electromagnet field piece [, and] for slotting the armature track to facilitate assembly of the electromagnet.”
U.S. Pat. No. 5,233,251 titled an “electric motor with non-radial magnetic drive system” issued to Nehmer discloses “a D.C. motor [that] includes a rotor and a stator with chordally oriented electromagnetic units, with windings pulse energized to establish a rotary force on the rotor as a result of the non-radial orientation of the driving forces. Each electromagnetic unit including a pole is extended along a substantially chordal line of the motor. All rotor poles are connected to a shaft by a radial crank arm and may be integrally or separately formed. A sensor detects pole alignment to then pulse the windings, and generate opposing magnetic forces to rotate the rotor. The winding establish opposite polarity at the adjacent pole ends of aligned poles to drive the rotor. A D.C. motor connected to the rotor, or special internal poles may be provided to align the poles for starting the motor. A plurality of the motors mounted to a common shaft with the electromagnetic units in the adjacent motors offset from each other and sequentially pulsed to establish continuous rotation. A multiple section motor assembly provides a stepping motor with small individual steps. Various rotor and stator constructions with crank-like rotor pole units are disclosed.”
U.S. Pat. No. 6,552,460 titled “Brushless electromechanical machine” issued to Bales discloses “an electromotive machine having a stator element and a rotor element, the stator element including at least one set of four toroidally shaped electromagnetic members, the electromagnetic members arranged along an arc a predetermined distance apart defining a stator arc length. Each of the members has a slot, and the rotor element includes a disc adapted to pass through the slots. The disc contains a plurality of permanent magnet members spaced side by side about a periphery thereof and arranged so as to have alternating north-south polarities. These permanent magnet members are sized and spaced such that within the stator arc length the ratio of stator members to permanent magnet members is about four to six. The electromagnetic members are energized in a four phase push-pull fashion to create high torque and smooth operation.”
U.S. Pat. No. 6,930,433 titled “Brushless electro-mechanical machine” issued to Bales discloses “an electromotive machine having a stator element and a rotor element, the stator element including at least one set of N preferably toroidally shaped electromagnetic members, the electromagnetic members arranged along an arc a predetermined distance apart defining a stator arc length. Each of the members has a slot, and the rotor element includes a disc adapted to pass through the slots. The disc contains a plurality of permanent magnet members spaced side by side about a periphery thereof and arranged so as to have alternating north-south polarities. These permanent magnet members are sized and spaced such that within the stator arc length the ratio of stator members to permanent magnet members is N to N+1, where N is the number of electrical excitation phases applied to the electromagnets. The electromagnetic members are energized to create high torque and smooth operation.”
However, none of these solutions solve all of the problems associated with electric engines. Thus, it is desirable to provide an easily maintainable efficient electric engine capable of generating high levels of torque. It is also desirable to have removable electromagnets on the electric engine so that the engine can easily be repaired. It is also desirable to have components in the engine that reduce turbulent airflow within the engine.